Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-06-08
A Runaway Train.

! There is story in the June Vide A,oah
of boy the fifteen-year-old son of a loco
motive engineer, who had often ridden with
his father and ''knew the engine pooty
we'll" Indeed, the engineer had frequent
ly let the boy "drive" on a long stretch Of
straight track.
the engine on siding, while he went to
supper as usual There came up furious
wind; and, after little, some cars shot by
without an engine. The wind had started
back. Boy, think quick! Down grade.
The Lightning Express is to come that
way!
Nobody near. No telegraph wire. The
trains are headed together. There is less
than an hour to catch those runaway cars
and pull them out of the way. No time
for hesitation! He springs to the lever,
picks up speed and tears away with grade
and wind and steam like whizzing arrow.
They are miles ahead. The rushing min
utes are full of sudden comprehension. He
almost sees through the dark, tempestuous
night. What set him flying toward this
plunge was thought Of the Lightning Ex-
press. Now danger takes hold of him.
What if he is just too late The runaway
train is in sight! Off steaml No, on againl
Let the story teller tell the rest.
He must slow up, but do it so nicely that
when he does come up with them, there
shall be the least possible shock for
here is the hardest part of the business.
He has nobody to help him ''couple." He
must be, for the nonce, both engineer and
switchman. He had not thought what a
formidable job this was until it stared him
in the face.
On he flew revolving the situation in his
head and adjusting his engine with the
incest care until he was upon the very heels
of the runaway; then, with many misgiv-
givings, slipped out of the engine-house and
crawled along the side of the locomotive,
and down on the "cow-catcher.
Here, seizing the long coupler in one
stood watching with breathless interest the
agonizing. The situation was perilous. A
gust of wind might sweep him from his
place, he might be shaken off or crushed.
He was almost panic-stricken. A dozen
times he was at the point of turning back.
10 his startled ears the air was full of un.
canny sounds-the sweep of another lorna
do, the rush of the 'Iightning' just ahead
But he had in him the stuff which heroes
are made of. The hero, remember, is not
he who is insensible to danger, but rather
ne who feels and realizes, but yet evercomes
it.
The Meteor" drew nearer and nearer the
flying train. Dave had used excellent judg-
ment in regulating its speed; for at length
1t came up with the rear Car with scarcely
shock, so that Dave could reach over and
drop in the pin.
Then clambering back into the engine
house with trembling eagerness he seized
the ''throttle." To his amazement the
train did not stop. Instead of the ''Mete-
or's" stopping the runaway, the runaway
dragged the "Meteor" along in its head
long flight. Dave was horror-struck. He
had thought the train wonld stop at once
He had not calculated what tremendous
impetus all those heavy cars had acquired.
Now, then, the tussle! The tram began
to slow up. 1t came to stand-still. Then
the backward pull. Slowly they got under
way; but the wind and Upgrade were against
them.
Dave began to get anxious. ''The Light
ming" must be due by this time. He kept
sharp lookout behind and whistled like
mad around the curves. At length he en-
tered upon the long, straight level line of
road which extended clear to Blankton.-
stretch-a good ten-mile run.
Hardly had he congratulated himself,
when far behind-but unmistakably-he
heard the scream of the "Lightning's''
whistle. He was going already at his
topmost speed. He was making not more
than thirty-five miles an hour, while the
Lightning was coming on at the rate of
sixty. With horror he heard it gaining on
him: the next whistle was nearer, and at
length when he had made only two-thirds
the distance the gleam of it's headlight
came shooting round wooded curve in his
rear.
Out of the very despair of the moment
Dave gathered calmness. He turned his
back on the pursuing train, he cast no look
behind, he shut his ears to its on-coming
roar; looked straight ahead, kept his eye on
the track, his mind on his duty.
He is almost there-he IS there, he dashes
past the station-house, across the switch
and down at last upon the side track.
1t is all right. Jake and Jim are there.
They have thrown the switch back in time;
and the Lightning" goes whizzing and
shrieking past.
When Jake jumped aboard the ''Meteor,"
his son tainted dead away in his arms.
"Now. Central, you're posted; come! give us
your views.
In a brush at the front. what's the powder to
use?"
He winked at a star as he puffed a cigar,
And slowly replied, IN, a brush at the front
never use powder, but-SOzODONT."
GO Where YOu Will
you'll find SOZODONT in vogue. People
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